Sectionalism: Sectionalism refers to the loyalty or support given to one's own region or section of the country rather than the nation as a whole. In this context, it describes how people in different regions (North vs. South) prioritized their own economic interests over national unity.
Tariffs: Tariffs were taxes imposed on imported goods by the government. Disagreements over tariffs between Northern industrialists who favored protective tariffs and Southern agrarians who wanted free trade further fueled tensions.
States' Rights: States' rights refers to the belief that individual states should have more power than the federal government. Southerners argued for stronger states' rights as a way of maintaining control over issues such as slavery, while Northerners believed in a stronger central government to regulate economic systems and abolish slavery.